It is that time of the year again, that time where the P2 team bash their heads into a crystal ball and come up with some bad guesses as to what will appear at E3. Join us as we check out their hopes and wishes for gaming’s biggest event.
E3 2021 Predictions – Take Two
Shaun Nicholls
Safe Bet – NBA 2K22
Look I am not a fan of sports ball games, but I needed a prediction and this is the only game that comes to my mind that I am sure that we will see some info about, if only because of its place as the dominant basketball simulation game on the planet.
Fairly Likely – New Gearbox IP
I know nothing about this new IP except that it is being developed by Gearbox and is slated to launch by April next year, meaning E3 is the perfect time to start building up the hype about whatever this new game is.
Wishful Thinking – GTA 6
We all know it is coming at some point, and while we are still seeing GTA 5 going strong in sales charts I would wager that is more to do with microtransactions. It is time to unleash a whole new next-gen version of mayhem on the world, but I don’t think they will be showing us anything this year.
Matt Hewson
Safe Bet – Tiny Tina’s Borderlands Spinoff
2K have been leaking a bit lately and it is looking like a new Borderlands game is coming and it will focus on everyone’s favourite explosive expert, Tiny Tina. The game may be called Wonderlands according to the leaks and while this isn’t 100% it is looking increasingly like more Borderlands are on the way. Which is no shock at all really.
Fairly Likely – Xcom Something
Firaxis are a pretty predictable bunch. They go from Civilization to Xcom and back again. However, things are a little trickier right now as they continued to work on Civ while pumping out a great little Xcom side project, Chimera Squad. So where does that leave us? Well according to the rumour mill it leaves us with a Marvel Xcom project. Probably not going to be called that, but we can assume a Marvel focused game using Xcom game systems. That could be something seriously fantastic and I have utter faith in Firaxis not matter what they choose to take on.
Wishful Thinking – Mafia 4
I love the Mafia series. Sure they have their problems, but the things they always get right are the setting and the story and that is more than enough for me to be all in on whatever they decide to do next. Where will a fourth Mafia go? The ’80s New York? Back to Italy in the late ’90s? There are some key historical moments in organised crime that could be the perfect setting for a new title. Fingers crossed we find out about it during E3.
Jess Zammit
Safe Bet – GTA V Next-Gen
I can no longer imagine a world in which GTA V isn’t being somehow remastered or updated, because it has now spanned generations of consoles and I’m pretty sure transcends my living memory. Was there ever a time before it? Will there be a time after? I don’t think so. I no longer believe in the possibility of GTA 6, and assume it will just become the friends we made along the way while playing GTA V forever.
Fairly Likely – Bioshock
It’s happening. A new Bioshock game is coming. Is it coming soon enough for there to be E3-ready footage? Hard to say. But so far we haven’t really heard much about it beyond confirmation that it’s happening since its announcement in 2019, so maybe it’s time for at least a teaser?
Wishful Thinking – GTA 6
But I want it to have a female protagonist. Wild, I’m aware. A pipe dream, probably. But please. Even if you have to give options so that nobody is forced to play as a woman against their will, just give me something.
Stephen del Prado
Safe Bet – RDR2 Next Gen
While not the sales monster GTAV proved to be, Red Dead Redemption 2 still did impressive numbers and maintains a loyal following. While I found the game tedious in many aspects, it still provides a western-themed experience unmatched by any other game out there. Sure, the backwards compatibility across the PS5 and Series X improves the experience over the previous generation, but it’s not a truly ‘’next-gen’ version of this game. Given what Rockstar have been able to push out of previous generations, I expect them to do something equally impressive with RDR2.
Fairly Likely – Cloudchamber’s BioShock gets a full reveal
The BioShock series contains some of the most acclaimed FPS titles of the seventh console generation, with BioShock 2 and it’s Minerva’s Den DLC still the highpoint of the series for me personally. It was confirmed in 2019 that Cloudchamber are developing a new entry in the series, with current job listings suggesting the game is still years away from release, no doubt in part due to rumours suggesting it will be an open-world title rather that one set in the claustrophobic confines of Rapture or the floating city of Columbia, which did a much better job of appearing open before players quickly plummeted to their death. Now would seem a good time to start building hype for the franchise once more and perhaps even throw in a PS5/Series X upgrade of the first three titles in the meantime.
Wishful Thinking – A New Rockstar IP
With no new IP from them the entire previous generation, I hope against hope that the ridiculous sums of money Rockstar bring in has bought them enough goodwill from Take-Two to have some new IP incubating which doesn’t need to stretch shiny new skin over the fossil of a previous game. If Red Dead Redemption 2 proved anything, it’s that Rockstar can make incredibly detailed worlds but need to update their design work in many other areas, often feeling like a game using outdated principles and restrictions. A new IP, with no expectations or built-in audience frees them to explore what the next steps in both graphical fidelity and game design as an art form can be.
Paul James
Safe Bet – Borderlands
We’ve all seen the leaks, a Tiny Tina inspired Borderlands title is on the way. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, if it’s anything like the Borderlands 2 Tiny Tina DLC is set to be an absolute riot, and with both Take-Two, and Gearbox set to have their own respective E3 showcases, you can take it to the bank that this new Borderlands adventure will feature at least one, if not both.
Fairly Likely – Bioshock
The rumours about what Cloud Chamber has been developing as the next core Bioshock adventure have long been swirling. While the game itself is still 24 months away at least, E3 2021 might be the time for some for at least a tone piece in the form of a title screen that sets the stage for at least the setting.
Wishful Thinking – Grand Theft Auto VI
Why would they ever consider revealing GTA VI when the predecessor continues to be the top-selling game month after month? If we’re thinking bottom lines then it doesn’t make any sense, but, it has been 8 years, and on the creative side, you have to imagine the designers of the single-player side of GTA are keen to get to work again. I can picture how it’s introduced too. Close your eyes, and imagine a splash screen, the GTA V splash, and then it cuts to footage, unfamiliar footage to anyone, we’re all a bit confused but it could be footage from GTA Online, then the splash screen appears again, and down drops an I to sit to the right of the V. That’s right, Grand Theft Auto VI is coming. I’ll be taking my marketing dollars now thanks Rockstar!
